About The Book

Description

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery creates the small-town destination for romance in charming Fool's Gold, California—where a loner cowboy finds the one woman who can capture his heart

At eighteen, Ty Boudreaux married his high school sweetheart and planned to live happily ever after on the family ranch. But after twelve years in a volatile, one-sided marriage, this gentle cowboy is struggling to put his life back together.

At eighteen, Bettina Blanchard’s goal in life had been to shake the dust of Bluebonnet, Texas off her heels, and with her baby sister now safely in college, that dream is within her grasp. But underneath Bad Betti’s tough exterior beats the heart of a woman with hopes and dreams, and she’s loved Ty almost as long as he loved his ex-wife.

When fate drops Ty in her lap, one night of passion leaves them dealing with a pregnancy and a marriage both have reservations about. Can a girl from the wrong side of the tracks and Bluebonnet’s favorite son find common ground outside the bedroom? Despite the interfering in-laws, a jealous baby sister and a holiday no one wants to remember, Betti and Ty discover that even though their happily ever after doesn’t come easy, anything worth having is worth working for.

Interview

1. Where did you come up with the idea of a fictional town named Bluebonnnet?

Besides the fact that I’m a native Texan and the bluebonnet is our state flower, I liked the idea of creating my own town. However, I didn’t ever want my fictional town confused with a real one sooo I went hunting for a good name for my town. There’s a database somewhere—it’s been a while—that allows you to search for city/town names by state. Lucky for me, there isn’t really a Bluebonnet, Texas—but don’t tell my characters.

2. Is Betti a plus-sized woman?

Yes, Betti is a plus-sized woman. When I was writing the first book in the series, I watched Ty’s marriage break up (as a secondary plotline). It broke my heart. I love Ty and yes, I wanted to fix him. As an author, I can do that. I wanted him to have someone who a) loved him as much as he loved Rhea and b) someone who was the exact opposite of him. I also wanted to write a story about a plus-sized women where HER SIZE was NOT an issue.

3. Are all your books about plus-sized women?

No! I write a wide variety of characters from a wide variety of backgrounds!

4. How did you come up with the title?

Actually, the original title was Cowboys Don’t Cry. I was searching for an agent, many moons ago, and decided to go with something that wasn’t quite so … depressing. Once in a Blue Moon just struck me and it fit—plus Blue Moon is the name of Betti’s salon. :D

5. Alpha, Beta, Gamma males….as a reader and as a writer, what’s your preference and why?

To be honest, I don’t think we consciously choose to write certain characters in certain ways. At least, I don’t think I do. As a writer, I’m definitely more drawn to Beta and Gamma males. Maybe it’s because I come from a line of Alpha women?!?!? LOL Ty is definitely more Beta but that doesn’t mean he’s weak—though some might think so, given what he’s been through as well as what he goes through. I’ll be honest, as a reader, flawed and even broken male characters (who triumph over adversity) are my reading crack :D (Karin Slaughter’s Will Trent comes to mind as one of my all-time faves—he had a horrible childhood and is dyslexic but triumphed over all of that).

6. What’s next? Will there be more Bluebonnet books?

Right now I’m hard at work editing…the next Bluebonnet book. It’s actually a novella and I’ve been calling it Bluebonnet 2.5. It’ll be released in June and is Zander Boudreauxes story (that’s Ty’s older brother). I’m also working on a Bluebonnet spinoff that’ll be released in August!

Author Bio

Amie Stuart is the last of a dying breed, a native Texan, and still makes her home there, where cowboys and music (her other two loves) abound. Growing up, she wanted to be a lawyer and a psychologist. No doubt the shrinks would have a field day with her head, but she's seen the error of her ways and considers all those other jobs 'research' for the writing gig.

She's a multiple contest finalist as well as a trained contest judge and is affectionately know as The Terminator by her critique partners. She's written as CELIA STUART for Black Lace Books, & Liquid Silver Books, and as AMIE STUART for Kensington Aphrodisia, she has a short story (PEACHES 'N CREAM) in Zane's CARMEL FLAVA 2, and launched Cobblestone Press's short erotica line,Wicked in 2007.